Hamburg Artist brings San Diego to Germany

“P.B.”, “ocean beach”, “La Jolla nights”, “mission bay” or “birdrock” – these are terms only San Diegans can understand. However, they have now come to life far away – in Hamburg/Germany. Artist Peter Nikolaus Heikenwaelder came to San Diego in Fall 2012 and turned his inspiration into 32 paintings. The exhibit is called ‘Pacificus’.

“It was a great chance to experience the life and the nature in and around San Diego, especially the different beaches. All of this impacted me and my work. The Pacific Ocean, the sun, the wind, the clouds, the food and naturally the people in San Diego, and Southern California in general, are so different than in Northern Germany that it would be astonishing if nothing would have influenced my art work.

The circumstances and impressions of this time gave my paintings a new flow that resulted in the exhibition: “Pacificus – Essay on distance” shown in the Gallery Carolyn Heinz in Hamburg, Germany in May and June this year. The exhibition showed thirty two pieces of art which were created while I was in San Diego and some others I made thereafter in Hamburg as a result of my stay. And there is one thing I realized: I should go to California for work again.”